Branded (Sinners, #1)

“Where are you going?” My voice shakes as I speak.

“I have to run across the street real fast. Something’s going down and they called for backup. When I leave, put your chair under the door knob like this.” He demonstrates exactly what he wants me to do. “Let me grab an extra one for you to sit on.” Cole brings me a chair and puts it down right next to the window and across from Alyssa.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, no problem. Don’t open the door for anyone until you hear Zeus bark, all right? Even if it sounds like me, don’t do it. You got that?” He arches his eyebrows in expectation.

“I understand. Please hurry.” I check on Alyssa, feeling the panic rise in my chest, but she remains peaceful. Thankfully, the alarm didn’t disturb her.

“Will do. All of the guards within a mile radius of the call have to respond, so you’re going to be guard-free for a little while.”

“Is that a good or bad thing?”

“Good. I don’t trust most of them when it comes to you. Okay, I gotta go.”

After he leaves I place the chair under the doorknob. I sit down, lean back, and decide to count with the clock. The ticking doesn’t calm my nerves though. It only reminds me of how slow time moves when you want it to go faster.

Within five minutes, I hear a male voice reverberating through the hall. The string of vulgarity that easily slips off his tongue puts me on edge. It sounds unfamiliar, but who knows. My eyes lock on the door, waiting for any motion, as fear pulses within my veins.

One knock.

“Open the door,” the voice demands.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Alyssa stir and open her eyes. I leap to her bed and fling my hand over her mouth. I whisper, “Don’t say a word.”

“I said open the door! Now!” he yells while pounding his fists against the frame.

Go away, go away, please, please go away and leave us alone.

“All right. I’ll do this my way,” he says, the menace of his words reaching me even through the door.

Alyssa grabs my hands with all of her strength and I realize I’m the only one here to protect her. I shove my fright back into the corner of my brain and answer him.

“If it’s me you’re after, you can have me, just don’t hurt her.”

“HA.” The door bashes in and a man whom I’ve never seen before walks in wearing a hospital gown. The smell of his body odor causes me to scrunch my face. His bloodshot eyes match his red brand, but he doesn’t look at either of us. “I don’t want you.” He points behind me and laughs mockingly at my face. “I want her morphine.”

“No.”

He doesn’t like my answer, not one bit. His face turns scarlet like he’s going to detonate. He smiles sadistically and cracks his neck. “It doesn’t work that way. I get what I want, when I want it. So do yourself and the little girl a favor and move.”

“There isn’t anymore,” I lie. Not convincing enough. I move in front of Alyssa’s bed to block her view of his face.

“I know. I’ve checked all the other patients. She’s the only one. Now move.”

I can’t focus or think straight, so I say something I regret the second it comes out. “Over my dead body.”

He cocks his head and sneers. “Now that’s not a problem.”

He comes toward us, so I grab the chair near the window, turn my head away, and swing it into the glass with everything I have. The jarring crash sends glass flying everywhere, and I release the chair and let it fly out the window. Immediately, the crashing of the chair coupled with the sound of vehicles in the street and people bickering waft into the room.

“Now, that wasn’t necessary, was it?” Then with unexpected speed, he darts forward. I lunge into him to try to block him from getting to Alyssa. He shoves me into the wall, smacking the back of my head, and I crumple to the floor. Darkness fills my vision for a moment, making it hard to focus. He turns his back to me, thinking I’m finished, but I have enough sense to latch onto his legs.

“Stupid girl,” he curses. His fist hammers my back, jolting my shoulders with excruciating pain.

“Stop it!” Alyssa yells. “Don’t hurt her. Take the morphine.” I look up and she has the bag in her hands.

“Drop it!” I yell to Alyssa. Can’t hold on much longer…

His brutish arms wrap around my waist and he pulls me up like a sack of flour, ripping my hands away from his legs. In one motion, he sends me crashing into the side of Alyssa’s bed. The room spins as I attempt to gather myself.

She tosses the bag to me and it lands on the floor. I grab the clamp and slide the ball up leaving the tubing wide open.

“What the hell are you doing? Just give me the damn bag.”

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